Art of distilling hydrocarbon oils



l July l0, 1928.

R. D. HUNNEMAN ART oF DISTILLING HYDRCARBQN 4qms Filed Dec. l2, 1924 T U67? Z071- desired.

Patented July l`10, )192,8.

Monia n.

157e-,60e 1P-ATENT- oFF-ICE.

HUNNEMAiiT, or cir-reunio,` 1LLINoIS, As`sIGNoR 'ro As'1n1 \`1 u\ n13oII. 'ooM- PANY, oF, WHITING, .IND1ANA, A coRrrotATIoN or INDIANA. f

ART or DISTILLING HYnRooAzaBoN oILs.-

' Application' mea December 12, 1924. serial Ne. 755,429.

rlhe present 'invention relates tol improvements in the distillation of hydrocarbon oils, and more particularly of lubricating oils or distillates, for the removal of their lighter fractions and the formation of heavier, viscous lubricant residues. It-will be fully understood from the' following description, illustrated by the accompanying drawing;

` in which the figure shows'diagrammatieally, 4and partly in section, apparatus suitable for..

carrying the invention into effect.

. Referring vmore particularly to the drawing, the numeral l5 indicates a furnace set; \ting, in which is provideda heating coil-6, of which the initial .portion 6V may suitably be of apipefof a smaller cross-sectional arca.

than/the subsequent portion 6b.. l'Oil -is supplied to the coil 6-.through `valv`ed 'pipe' 7.

From the coil 6 a pipe Sleads into an enl larged chamber 9 which may be formed at 'anintermediate point in a stripping and recwhich may be. lagged/ if4 tifying tower 10,

A number' ofv spaced stripping plates '25 (shown diagrammaticallvjas of th'e bubble type) are provided -in the tower lbe'low the enlarged chamber .9, and-'a' number of `fractionating plates 13 are provided. in the vtower above the enlarged chamber 9. The] 4freictionatingplates are preferably of'a type providing a low pressureadrop; vfor example,

of thediscand doughnut type; or a filled tower-may bel used.- A heat .exchange cil'r 29 may be providedin the `upper portion of j the tower, 'if desired. Alpipe 14n-,ede inte the base of the tower, terminatingin*` a 'suit-'f able perforated distributing 'device' 15, the'.

perforations 'being preferably downwardly directed. Steam or .other inert gas may be'v 40 Supplied within v'the tower by Athis means.

Vapors pass out of the tower through 'the' pipe-.16 tothe condenser 17,4 at a suitable -.pointin which-a trap 18 may be interposed" -for the separation4 of Acondensed 'oil and' un- .#5 f condensed steam or other uncondense vapor'.- Condensedliquidcontinues through the re.-

fmainder of the condenser 17 (which acts as a cooler therefor) and isconduct'ed by valved ipe I9fto receiver 20, to the vapor space offwhich. the suction" line' 21 ofa vacuum pump 22 is connected. Liquid is discharged f 4 from receiver20 through valv'ed linev .23.

"Uucondensed.vapor and/or steam'inay be drawn 'fromthe trap v18 through line 24 'by f pump 25, and forced by -it through line-2 6( 4moved 'from any suitable -pointabove-the chamber 9- by any suitable standard means g Any desiredadditional Aor. controlled cooling' lofthe vapor, before issuing'from the column,

receiver 20. The uncondensed .-steam and vapors.; from the. trap 18 may-bedrawn thlTOll'gh-pipe 24 by the pump 25 and forcedloo ithroug'h pipe 26 into `the coil 6,- preferably atan. intermediatepointtherein.. 'Ifjde-l vsired, the steam'so fed in may be preheatedf by' any'suitable means ,as bya tar heat ex- .changed as isl well recognized in the art. 1.05

Steam from another source may be admitted .te e euiteble'intenhe-diete peint inthe een 6.

In carrying out thev invention the hydrocarbon oil to. bev distilled is forced through 'line 7 by any' suitable supply means, as a.

pump, (not shown) into and through the coil 6, in which it is heated tothe temperature necessary to produce thedesiredchar- 'y e -acter of overhead or'residue product.

tributer 15. Thev liberated vapors, together' with the steam and vapors vfrom the strip- Ping."Plates 12,rise -through the-fraction-' ating plates 13, condensateA refluxing' to the! I lower portion of the column, or 'being'remay fbeefected by passing a suitable coolingmedium through thefheat exchangecoil 28..; vThe cooling medium may sliitably be "the-stock to bewdistilled, which maypassv 1 "from coilf28 through Vpipe-.29- to the conduit 'f1-leading to the'coil 6. Vapors and steam "pass through vapor `line '16.to condenser 17 ;there'they may be condens ed and cooled. "-Iffdesired, a trap 18 maybe inserted atan intermediate point in thecondenser, at.

which the steam is. silll uncondgfsnsed- .Steam Y and accompanying uncondensed vapors may bei withdrawn .at the trap, .thefliquid "con-` 'densate continuing through :the coilto thev through the'line 2.7.

If desired, a' vacuum may bemaintained on.- the tower and heating system by-Ineans l' ofthe pump 22,an absolute pressure to'lO to 1 10 -thecolumn ljthrough'the stripping plates 12, in counter-'current to steamer other inert vapor` admitted intojthe columnl at or near `its base through supply pipe 14 and dis-17- 50 millimeters being desirably maintained Where the oil enters the tower.

The process isparticularly vadapted for the production of residue stocks, such as viscous lubricating oils, from reduced crude oils or from distillates. Thus, it may be employed for the manufactureA of cylinder stocks or of distillate or residue stocks. ln operating for the production of viscous lubricating` stocks as residues from paratlin distillates, it has been found desirable to control the heatingof the coil 6 to bring the l oil to a temperature of 625 to 700 F. The steam employed may vary from 1 'to 6 pounds per gallon -of oil distillate, about -one-thirdto one-half of this being admitted into the coil andthe remainder into the tower. The proportion of steam and vapor Withdrawn at the trap and returned vto the coil may obviously 'be readily vcont-rolled.

The temperatures and amounts of steam employed are controlled' in accordance with the characteristicsof products desired; The

. bottom stocks obtained are ot unusually high viscosity as compared With bottom stocks.

obtained in ordinary`\continuous operations. Thus, a certain paraiiin distillate, distilled in theordinary way to a 20% bottom, gives a product having a viscosity of about 3400 sec. Saybolt at 100 F.; the same oil, dis tilled by the present method under a vacuum of 28.8 mercury gives a 20% bottom having a viscosity of over 15000 sec. Saybolt at 100 F. At the same time, the overhead under the present method of operation was of higher viscosity than thatobt-ained by prior methods. p L

l The cooling coil 28 in the upper part of i the fractionating end ofthe column may be entirely' omitted, if desired, and particularly when a sharp removal of heavy ends from the overhead product is not material.. With' a suitable cooling means, such as the coil 28, in the top ofthe column, thetemperature of vthe issuing vapors and the amount ofreflux may be readily controlled in accordance with the character of products desired. The process may be used with other types of oils; for exam le, for the removal of lighterfractionsv rom crude and reduced crude oils.

I claim 1. The method of distilling hydrocarbon oils comprising passing the oil in a con- .fined stream ofrestricted cross section through a heating zone into an enlarged sepa-ratlng chamber, separately removing fromA said'separatmg chamber vapors 'and -u'nvaporized liquid, passing the unvaporized liquid in countercurrent to a current of steam, and forcing at least a part of said 4 steam and vapors carried thereby into the stream of `oil flowing through the heated zone.

v2. The method of distilling hydrocarbon oils which -comprises passing such oil in a confined stream of restricted cross-section through a. heating zone, forcing steam into the stream of heated oil at an intermedlate point in its passage through the heating zone and after it has'traversed a substantial y portion thereof, discharging the stream of oil into an enlarged chamber, wherein separation of vaporized and unvaporized products takes place, removing unvapforigzed oil therefrom and immediately subjecting said unvaporized oil to direct contact with steam,

thereby removing lighterconstituentsfrom the oil.

constituents from the oil, and forcing-part of the steam'and vapors thus removed into the stream of oil in the heating zone.

4. The method of distilling hydrocarbon oilscom-prising passing the oil in a confined stream through a heating zone, discharging the oil intoa separating chamber, separately removing from said separating chamber vaporlzed products and unvaporlzed 011, passing the unvaporized 011 inqcountercurrent to a'current of steam, forcing art of the steam-and vapors carried there y'into the stream of oil in: the heating zone, and maintaining sub-atmospheric pressure on the separating chamber.

5. The lmethod of distilling hydrocarbon oils comprising passing the oil in a confined stream through a heatingzone, discharging 'the oil into a separating chamber, passing-the unvaporizedoil in countercurrent to a current'of steam, subsequentlyv subjecting said steam with the vapors from the separating chamber to reluxing action, and maintainling sub-atmospheric pressure. on the system. 6. The method of distillin'g hydrocarbon oils which comprises passing the oil'in an'- externally heated confined stream through a heating zone, discharging'the oil. into an unheated separating chamber, supplying steam si in said chamber so as to pass through the liquid Y therein, removing separated vapors' and steam from said chamber, and subjectf ing the removed vapors and steam' to a controlled reiuxing action.

7. Th@J method of distiuing hydrmarimn oils which comprises passing the oil' in an Y externally heated confined stream through a heating-zone. discharging the oil into an unheated separat-ing chamber, 'supplying steaml i realices in said chamber so as to pass through the liquid therein, removing separated vapors and steam from said chamber, subjecting the removed vapors and steam to a controlled refluxing action and returning reflux to the separating chamber. M' p j 8. The method of distilling hydrocarbon oils comprisingpassing the oil in a confined stream through a heating zone, discharging the oil into a separating chamber, passing the vunvaporized oil countercurrent to a current of steam, subsequently subjecting said steam to refiuxing action with the vapors from the separating chamber, partially cooling the reuxed vapors and steam, separating uncondensed steam from condensate therefrom and introducing said steam into the coniined stream of oil in the heating Zone.

9. The method of distilling hydrocarbon oils comprising passing the oil in a confined stream through a heating Zone, discharging the oil into a separating cha mbcr, passing the unvaporized oil countercurrent to a current of steam, subsequently subjecting said steam -with the vapors from the separating chamberl to refluxing action, partially cooling the reiluxed vapors and steam, separating uncon. densed steam from condensate therefrom, introducing said steam into the confined stream of oil in the heating zone at an intermediate point, and maintaining sub-atmospheric pressure on the system.

10. ln distillation apparatus,i a tower having an intermediate enlarged chamber, stripping plates therebelow, retluxing plates above said chamber, means for introducing steam into the lower portion of said tower, a heatl ing coil emptying into the enlarged chamber lin the tower, means for supplying oil to the heating coils, and means for maintaining subatmospheric pressure within the tower.

11. In distillation apparatus, a tower having an intermediate enlarged chamber, stripping plates below the chamber` reluxing plates above the chamber, means for heating a continuously flowing stream of oil, meansl for discharging it into the tower within the enlarged chamber, a vapor outlet from the tower, a condenser connected to said outlet, a

trap at an intermediate point in the condenser for separating liquids from uncondensed vapors, and means for introducing uncondensed vapors separated at the trap into the lowing stream of oil.

12. In distillation apparatus, a tower having an intermediate enlarged chamber, stripping plates below the chamber, retluxing plates above the chamber, means for heating a continuously flowing stream of oil, means for discharging it into the tower within the enlarged chamber', means for partially condensing vapors issuing from the tower, and means for introducing uncondensed vapors into the owing stream of oil.

13. The method of distilling hydrocarbon oils which comprises passing the oil in a coniined stream through a heating zone, discharging the oil into a separating chamber, supplying steam in said chamber at substantially the same temperature as the oil and in thermal equilibrium therewith, separately removingv unvaporized oil and vapors from said chamber, subjecting the removed unvaporized oil to the action of live steam, thereby removing lighter fractions therefrom, withdrawing from the system the thus treated unvaporized oil, and subjecting the removed lighter fractions with the vapors from the separating chamber to a controlled refluxing action. i l

14. The method of distilling hydrocarbon oils which comprises passing the oil in a confined stream through a heating Zone, discharging the oil into a separating chamber, supplying steam in said chamber at substantially the same temperature as the oil and in thermal equilibrium therewith, separately removing unvaporized oil and vapors from said chamber, .subjecting the removed unvaporized oil to the action oflive steam, thereby removing lighter fractions therefrom, withdrawing from the system the thus treated unvaporized oil, commingling the removed lighter fractions with the vapor contents of the separating chamber` and subjecting the vapors removed from the separating chamber to a controlled re'luxing action. A

ROGER D /HUNNEMAN linslclmalMER 1,676,609.--Roger D. Hfzmneman, Chicago, Ill. 4AR'r oF DIsT'ILLING HYDROCARBON OILS. Patent dated July 10, 1928. Disclaimer filed May 8, 1931, by the l assignee, Standard Uil Company.

` Hereby 'enters this disclaimer to claims 5, and of' said patent, which claims.

are in the followin Words, to-wit:

5. The metho .of distilling hydrocarbon oils comprisingpassing the oil in a Aconfined 'stream through a'heating zone', discharging the oil into a-separating chamber, passing the'unvaporized oil in countercurrent to acurrent of steam, subsequently subjecting said steam with the vapors from the separating chamber toA reluxing action, and maintaining sub-atmospheric pressure on the systcma V 6.- The method of distilling hydrocarbon oils Which` comprises passing the oil in an ,externally heated confined stream through aheating Zone, discharging the oil into an unheated separating chamber,supplying steam in said chamber'f so as to'.

passthroughthe liquid therein, removing lseparated vaporsvan'd steam from said l .i pass through 'the liquid th chamber', and subjecting the removed vapors and steam to a controlledrefluXiug action. F 's 7. The method of distilling hydrocarbon oils which comprises passing-the oil in an externallyheated confined streamI through a heating zone, discharging the Qil into an unheated separatlng chamber, supplying. steam in said chamber soas -to v rein, removing separated vapors and steam from said chamber, subjecting the removed vapors and steam to acontrolled reiiu'xing-action and returning reflux to the separating chamber,l

p i, [Oficial Gazette May 26', 1931.] 

